What is the Hydrogen Vision 2040?

Are we going to see the next coming of the Hindenburg? Will hydrogen be the fuel of the future? The Hyundai Hydrogen Vision 2040 explores this.

The automotive world has come a long way from the days of the massive, hydrogen-filled blimp that famously burst into flames; yes, the Hindenburg. We have seen some vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells that have been successful and only limited by the lack of refueling stations around the country. This might be a classic “chicken or egg” philosophy in which the infrastructure is needed before automakers will commit to building vehicles powered by hydrogen.

Hyundai is Leading the Way in Hydrogen

The Hydrogen Vision 2040 plan is a venture that Hyundai is invested in for the future. This plan will bring us more vehicles being powered by hydrogen over the next few years. The first part of the plan is to bring hydrogen commercial vehicles to the market by 2028. These models will use a new generation of fuel cell technology to bring the right fuel and power needed to deliver products around the country using this fuel. After commercial vehicles have been used, the company plans to have hydrogen vehicles offered in all of its models.

This Fuel Just Makes Sense

The most plentiful element in the world is hydrogen. The most renewable element in the world is also hydrogen. This element is extremely flexible, easy to find, and can be used to power vehicles with ease. We’ve discussed for years the fact that filling a vehicle with liquid hydrogen takes about the same amount of time as filling it with gasoline. The question we should be asking is why we haven’t moved toward this fuel in more vehicles already? Why is electric such a popular alternative fuel and hydrogen has not been?

Previous vehicles that used hydrogen fuel cells were the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nexo, and the Toyota Mirai. These two models were only sold in California because this state had a few hydrogen refilling stations. Owners of the models that were powered by this element needed to live within a specified distance of the filling station; otherwise they wouldn’t have any benefits to driving the desired vehicle. These initial offerings were successful and showed that you don’t need to wait several hours for your battery to recharge or even several minutes for that same battery to reach a level that is less than full.

The Simplicity of the Hyundai Plan

Hydrogen Vision 2040 seems to be a relatively simple plan with Hyundai Motor Group investing in infrastructure growth to bring refueling stations around the country to make this fuel available to everyone. In fact, that’s part of their quoted goal, which is “Everyone, Everything, and Everywhere” by the year 2040. Most of the technology for the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles that will be offered will be mobility-based and not simply for passenger cars and SUVs. This means the first part of the plan, adding fuel-cell-powered commercial vehicles to the market, will be the first application of hydrogen by this company.

More than Just Vehicles

We know that hydrogen can be a successful fuel in vehicles. Hyundai is not only going to work to build the network we need to bring this fuel to the entire country, but they will also explore the use of hydrogen for emergency services, homes, and commercial buildings. If hydrogen is able to be used to replace coal, gasoline, wind turbines, etc., this might be the element that is able to save the environment and allow nature to begin to restore the globe.

The Third Generation of Fuel Cell Technology

Part of the evolution of the Hydrogen Vision 2040 plan will be to develop and improve fuel cell technology while adding more areas where this fuel can be used. The third generation of fuel cell stack technology is still in development but is expected to replace the current Nexo-based system by 2023. These new fuel cells will give us two different models to give us the power needed for a drive.

There will be a 100-kW model that is 30 percent smaller than the current version in the Nexo, which is 95-kW. This will make adding this system a better fit for more models and offer the flexibility needed to use it in other industries. The second version of this system will be a 200-kW model that is also smaller in size than the current Nexo system but will give twice the power to be used for commercial vehicles.

Greater Life with New Tech

These new fuel cells, which are part of the Hydrogen Vision 2040 plan, are expected to be more durable than the models they replace. The second-generation versions, currently in use, are rated to last nearly 100,000 miles before they need to be replaced. The third-generation models are expected to last up to 310,000 miles, which is much more acceptable to those of us who will drive our vehicles longer. This is better for commercial vehicles that rack up the miles in a hurry, as well.

The Xcient is Being Made Now

Hyundai hasn’t waited for public opinion; they dove deep into the hydrogen pool and are already making the Xcient Fuel Cell heavy-duty truck, which is the first of the commercial vehicles being made. This truck is powered by two of the 95-kW Nexo fuel cell stacks, which will be replaced by one of the new 200-kW models. A new model will arrive for 2023.

We expect to see a new semi-tractor truck that will likely have multiple fuel-cell stacks to give it power. This new semi should be offered in 2024.

Hydrogen Just Makes Sense

Instead of harmful chemicals that are currently expelled into the air, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles emit water vapor. Hydrogen is more plentiful than gasoline, and it’s renewable, which gasoline isn’t. Compared to electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles can be refueled much faster, keeping them on the road and away from the refilling station.

For all of these reasons and more that will come from Hyundai later, the Hydrogen Vision 2040 plan just makes sense.